Worlds of desire – #UrbanFantasy #EroticRomance #NewRelease @tinadonauthor.bsky.social

Blurb

They’re fighting for their lives, freedom, and love…in the realm of the dead.

Eeete, a pleasure slave, thought she’d found freedom in an underwater colony until a hated Palace guard abducted her for his carnal pleasure. Swept with him through a portal into E3, she faces danger from the deceased, grotesque monsters, and a dimension where few things are as they seem and nothing can be trusted…including her own desire.

Running from sure death, she comes upon Makam, another guard, sentenced to E3 for treason against their dimension’s depraved ruler. She’s determined to hate him—as she does all men who imprisoned her in the Palace—but survival depends on them fighting together.

Curious about Makam’s seeming honor and tempted by his untamed allure, she soon falls under his sensual spell, their nights filled with unrestrained passion, their days spent trying to stay alive…an increasingly impossible struggle.

When all appears lost, an unexpected chance allows hope for them to flee together toward a promising future.

Until a shocking secret threatens to tear them apart forever.

AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FMQ2JVKG

Excerpt (Adult)

“My wetsuit keeps me warm.” She stroked the smooth fabric. “Only my face feels chilled. After I clawed the face mask off, it won’t work any longer.”

“Hmm.” He sat back on his heels and smiled. “Should I hope you brought a wetsuit for me?”

Eeete wished she had. “Sorry. No. Take mine.”

She touched the seam on her shoulder.

The silvery-blue fabric trembled then slid down, puddling at her feet.

Makam stared at her nudity.

Because he was a guard, she should have minded but didn’t. He’d been kind, protecting her like she mattered, speaking to her as his equal, answering most of her questions, including the ridiculous and painful ones.

“Go ahead, Makam. Put it on.”

He dragged his attention from her smooth cunt to her breasts and nipples.

His gaze blurred from desire, his breathing grew increasingly strained, and the bulge between his legs was pronounced…his cock’s outline thick and hard.

Her pussy dampened further, arousal spiking in her core.

She cleared her throat, hoping her voice wouldn’t tremble as much as her insides, and toed the wetsuit to him. “Wear it.”

He blinked slowly, his attention riveted to her nudity. “The suit won’t fit me. You’re shorter.”

“The suit fits everyone. Step on the material. You’ll see.”

“You’re cold.”

The chill in here proved worse than she thought…sharp and uncomfortable…not that she’d admit it.

And didn’t have to.

Her teeth chattered. She clenched them to stop the noise.

“Fuck this. You’re freezing.” On his feet, he gathered her into his arms, his inner heat warming her.

Eeete melted into his embrace, soothed and aroused by his size and musky fragrance.

His heart beat as wildly as hers.

She nestled closer then stilled.

Doing this was wrong. She adored Zekin.

He isn’t here.

Makam was.

Eeete tried to feel bad about her feelings, but couldn’t and pressed her mouth to his ear. “Do you want me?”

The question spilled out before she could stop herself. For some reason, she didn’t regret it.

She rubbed her cheek against his and drove her fingers through his dark curls. “If you do then—”

He slanted his mouth over hers, stealing her words, accepting what she’d offered him, not taking anything against her will.

Her trust in him grew, as did her affection.

Eagerly, she accepted and worshipped his tongue, then swirled hers around it, enjoying his flavor. A pleasant taste like the succulent fruit she’d eaten on occasion in the Palace, yet also indescribable and belonging to him alone.

He angled his head to deepen the kiss.

Her innermost being—the one she’d always kept hidden from others—rejoiced.

She slipped her arms around his neck and ground her breasts and pussy against his chest and cock.

A groan escaped him, the sound pleased and uncivilized.

He palmed her nipples. The tips hardened further. Grunting in delight, he fondled her breasts, his large hands imprisoning them for his use and pleasure.

Bursts of heat cascaded down her, gathering in her cunt, plumping those soft folds, her core’s moisture already coating them, preparing her for a man’s cock.

His.

With him, she didn’t need lubricant as she had in the Palace.

With him, she wanted this.

She drew his tongue deeper into her mouth then battled it so hers could fill his.

He allowed her what she wanted.

The greatest gift a man could give a woman.

Burning with desire for him, she thrust her tongue into his mouth, her passion savage and wanting. She slipped her fingers beneath his waistband and cradled his hot, rigid dick.

Naked lust swept through her. She weakened at his rod’s length, eager to work it in her palm.

At her wanton strokes, his breath spilled out.

She breathed him in and ran her thumb over the small opening in his velvety crown, wet from pre-cum. Using skill she’d achieved over a lifetime as a pleasure slave, she eased the warm liquid across the plump head to the bumpy skin at the back.

He pushed to his toes, and she followed, his muffled cry fierce.

She stroked and cradled his cock, making him harder, thicker, needier.

He tore his mouth from hers. “Enough of this shit. I want more.”

“Take it. Fuck me.”

Other books in the series

UNENDING DESIRE

BOOK ONE – OUTLAWED REALM

Erotic Urban Fantasy Romance

AMAZON: https://tinyurl.com/2p8t73s

Blurb

His hunger for one woman will make him a traitor to his world…

From a portal in his lab on E2, one of the five dimensions of Earth, quantum physicist Nikoli Zorr gazes on everything forbidden to him. Passion. Desire. The exquisite pleasure of running his hands over the lush curves of a young woman he should have stopped watching weeks ago.

His duty is to close the portals that keep the monsters out of E2—and never interfere with the inevitable fate of those on the other side. Yet he can’t bring himself to abandon the woman who has captured his soul.

Psychologist Regina Page is trying to focus on her client, and off the mysterious, unbearable sexual cravings that consume her when she’s alone in her bedroom. The next moment she’s attacked by vampires, then swept into another realm by Nikoli, a stranger whose touch awakens that same raw desire. Whose eyes are already filled with farewell.

Yet beneath their undeniable carnal lust, something else stirs. The beginnings of illicit love. The unexpected need to protect him. Even if it means risking body, blood, and soul to defeat the merciless horde…for a future that was never meant to be.

 

 

ILLICIT DESIRE

BOOK TWO – OUTLAWED REALM

Erotic Urban Fantasy Romance

AMAZON: https://tinyurl.com/yamzv7k9

Blurb

Pleasure that destroys all thought. Love that shatters all barriers.

Marked for extermination, Lukan has miraculously escaped E4’s Pleasure Palace. There, sex slaves satisfy the cravings of E2’s rulers for voyeurism, bondage, dominance, submission, punishment, and more. However, his freedom is not enough.

He left behind Arez, who once saved his life and captured his heart. Within her fragrant, heated caress, he knew everything denied him…rapture born from yearning, contentment fueled by tenderness and love. Determined to deliver Arez from certain death and have her for his own, Lukan embarks on a rescue he may not survive.

Arez has known only carnal submission and loneliness before Lukan. She aches for his strong arms, his fevered kisses. Upon his return, he offers danger and hope for a future. How can she resist? Never fully tamed, she wants Lukan more than life. But to flee from this twilight dimension to another, to find freedom and their destiny, they must first outwit this plane’s human predators and its monsters.

 

 

SHAMELESS DESIRE

BOOK THREE – OUTLAWED REALM

Erotic Urban Fantasy Romance

AMAZON: https://shorturl.at/Y7gsO

Blurb:

Passion without limit. Carnal hunger that knows no bounds.

Within Earth’s five dimensions, nothing is as it seems…and desire is never far away.

In E4’s jungle, Kuma’s the Alpha werewolf bent on revenge against the hated guards. Swept with them from that dimension to E1, he prowls Seattle at night, stopping the thugs from abducting women for use as sex slaves in E4’s Pleasure Palace.

On her way home from her nursing job, Gwen senses danger in the night’s shadows. A stranger attacks. Clinging to consciousness, she watches the impossible, a wolf fighting him off…protecting her. She wakes in her own bed, convinced it must have been a dream until she sees Kuma in human form. Virile, intense. A man like no other.

Within his powerful embrace, Gwen experiences rapture she didn’t believe existed. His unrestrained lust and burning need end her loneliness, though not the menace they face. The guards are a constant threat in their hunt for women and their determination to see Kuma dead. Together, he and Gwen must fight—for his life, her freedom, their future.

 

STOLEN DESIRE

BOOK FOUR – OUTLAWED REALM

Erotic Urban Fantasy Romance

AMAZON: rb.gy/au93og

Blurb

One touch is never enough.

Her freedom depends on one man. A criminal to his realm…

One minute, Paige Ross is outside a Seattle bar, grieving a failed engagement. The next, she jerks awake in a weird, candlelit room with velvet walls, black silk sheets, and a man who motions for silence.

Paige has little choice but to trust the powerful stranger who promises a way out of what looks like Satan’s brothel. And pray his promise to keep her safe is as real as the heat burning in his eyes.

Banished from E2’s ruling elite for supposed crimes against the realm, Zekin risks everything to rescue those brought to E5 for the guards’ carnal pleasure. Paige will be leaving this inhospitable realm of fire and ice—if he can somehow forget the way she melts in his arms.

Safe—temporarily—in an underwater world populated by strange creatures, Paige’s sexual awakening explodes into an unquenchable need that consumes them both. But the guards will be looking for her. And Zekin’s plan to send her home is a dangerous journey she cannot—will not—take without him.

About the Author

Tina’s an Amazon and international bestselling novelist who writes passionate romance for every taste – ‘heat with heart’ – for traditional publishers and indie. Booklist, Publisher’s Weekly, Romantic Times and numerous online sites have praised her work. She’s won Readers’ Choice Awards, was named a finalist in the EPIC competition, received a Book of the Year award, The Golden Nib Award, awards of merit in the RWA Holt Medallion competitions, and second place in the NEC RWA contests. She’s featured in the Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market. Before penning romances, she worked at a major Hollywood production company in Story Direction.

On a less serious note: she’s an admitted and unrepentant chocoholic, brakes for Mexican restaurants, and has been known to moan like Meg Ryan in When Harry Met Sally while wolfing down tostadas. She’s flown a single-engine airplane (freaking scary), rewired an old house using an ‘electricity for dummies’ book, and is horribly shy despite the hot romances she writes.

MeWe: https://mewe.com/i/tinadonahue

Bluesky: @tinadonauthor.bsky.social

Website/Blog: https://tinadonahuebooks.blogspot.com/

Newsletter: https://tinadonahuebooks.blogspot.com/p/newsletter.html

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/tina-donahue

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/146988.Tina_Donahue

Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/tinadonahue

Amazon author page: https://amzn.to/1ChWFkO

Sweet ‘n Sexy Divas: https://sweetnsexydivas.blogspot.com/

Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/user/AuthorTinaDonahue 

A book waiting its turn – #LiteraryFiction #Inspiration #Giveaway

 

By Marc Macdonald (Guest Blogger)

Lisabet: Tell us about the genesis of this novel? Where did the story come from and how did you bring it to life?

There are bits of lived experience in Between Two Seasons, but they’re only a starting point. The story quickly grew into something bigger, something that belonged to the characters themselves. Truth is, this book had been sitting in my head for close to a decade, waiting its turn.

What kept circling in my mind were the themes—being stuck in the past, learning to forgive ourselves and others, and figuring out how to move forward. Those ideas weighed on me in real life, so it felt natural to explore them on the page.

I finally sat down to write in 2020, when the world shut down. Suddenly, there were no excuses left. I realized if I didn’t write the book then, when everything else had paused, I might never do it.

To keep myself honest, I gave the project a deadline: one season. From September 21 to December 21, I would get a first draft written. Three months, start to finish. I chose fall deliberately, because that’s the season the novel takes place in. I wanted to live alongside the story—watch the leaves turn, feel the air shift, and let that atmosphere bleed onto the page.

That mix of long-brewing ideas, lived experience, and the strange stillness of the pandemic is where Between Two Seasons came from. It wasn’t about writing the book I thought people wanted. It was about finally writing the story that had been living inside me for years, and trusting it was time to let it out.

Blurb

Haunted by regret and stalled by guilt, Alex Chambers arrives at Silver Springs Health and Rehabilitation Centre searching for redemption. What he finds instead is Mae Seasons—a sharp-tongued, fiercely independent resident with no interest in being anyone’s project.

Alex came hoping to make amends for the mistakes of his youth, especially to the woman he once hurt. But when that hope slips away, he’s drawn into an unexpected role: caregiver and reluctant confidant to Mae, whose irreverence hides a lifetime of buried truths.

As days at Silver Springs unfold in their strange, often absurd rhythm, Alex is forced to confront the tangled grief of his past. Through awkward silences, reluctant confessions, and moments of startling vulnerability, he and Mae forge an unlikely friendship—one stitched together by shared loneliness, reluctant compassion, and the possibility of healing.

At once poignant and quietly humorous, Between Two Seasons is a story about the lives we try to outrun, the people who challenge us to face ourselves, and the surprising ways connection takes root.

Excerpt

I exited the food line like a camper in the mess hall, tray in hand and desperately seeking a friend or two to sit with. I, however, scanned the room for the opposite: an empty table. I didn’t have any friends here and wasn’t intent on making any. I wanted to eat and get back to my room. A budding headache and body ache were on the precipice of significantly derailing my first hours at Silver Springs. And these were crucial hours. I was banking on a good night’s rest to alleviate these symptoms but feared the anxious excitement of finally arriving here would preclude any such endeavour.

“Hey, new guy, over here,” came a voice and welcoming wave from the person sitting at a table to my left.

Shit. There goes anonymity.

I had a split decision to make: be polite and kindly dismiss the invitation or accept and possibly be pulled into the labyrinth of Silver Springs politicking. My therapist would not be pleased with this thought. I was creating an outcome, a negative outcome, to a situation I had not yet experienced. But still, I mean, how was this place unlike high school? I’d already relived several moments from my burgeoning youth, and I’d only been on the premises a very short time.

About the Author

Marc MacDonald is an author who believes every great story starts with a spark—whether it’s a single sentence, an unforgettable character, or an idea that won’t let go. As the writer behind Between Two Seasons, a novel that celebrates the beauty of human connection, Marc weaves heartfelt narratives that linger long after the last page is turned.

When he’s not crafting compelling fiction, Marc applies his storytelling skills as a seasoned communications professional, proving that every message—whether in a book or a press release—deserves to be engaging. He’s also a fierce defender of the Oxford comma, an unapologetic pun enthusiast, and someone who firmly believes that coffee is the most essential writing tool.

Find him deep in his next manuscript, chasing inspiration, or justifying “research” as an excuse to buy more books. Catch up with Marc on his personal website: https://marcmacdonald.ca/ or @MarcMacWrites on Instagram.

Marc Macdonald will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Art of the Comeback: Second Chances in Life and Love – #NewRelease #FirefighterRomance

By Ella Braeme (Guest Blogger)

Sometimes the best chapters of our lives begin with "Once upon a time, I tried again."

Nine years ago, Becks Schwartz walked away from everything—her job, her city, and the man she thought she'd marry—after a betrayal that shattered her trust. Fast-forward to today, and she's a successful fire captain starting fresh in a new town, armed with hard-won wisdom and unshakable confidence. Her story, which I explore in my latest novel Rekindled Flame, mirrors what many of us face: the daunting but ultimately transformative art of the comeback.

Whether it's rebuilding after a career setback, healing from a broken relationship, or simply mustering the courage to try again after failure, second chances aren't just plot devices—they're essential life skills.

Why Second Chances Are Actually First Chances

Here's what I've learned from writing about second-chance romance and watching real people rebuild their lives: most "second chances" are actually first chances at getting it right.

When Becks reunites with Shawn in Elken Grove, they're not picking up where they left off—they're starting completely new. They're different people with different priorities and understanding of what healthy love looks like. Their first relationship was built on who they were at twenty-five; their second is built on who they became at thirty-five.

This applies beyond romance. That "second chance" at your career isn't about returning to your old job—it's about bringing your evolved skills to new opportunities. The friendship you're rebuilding isn't a restoration project—it's a fresh foundation built with better materials.

The Compound Interest of Personal Growth

Perhaps the most encouraging aspect of second chances is that all the work you've done on yourself pays dividends. Every therapy session, every book about communication, every difficult conversation you've navigated, every boundary you've learned to set—none of it is wasted.

When Becks faces professional sabotage in her new job, she doesn't crumble the way she might have years earlier. She draws on her accumulated strength and improved communication skills. The woman who once walked away rather than fight for what she wanted now stands her ground with confidence and strategy.

Your comeback gets to benefit from everything you've learned. Your resilience is stronger, your judgment is clearer, and your ability to navigate challenges is more sophisticated.

Starting Where You Are

The most daunting aspect of any comeback can be the gap between where you are and where you want to be. But every successful second chance starts with a simple decision: I'm willing to try again, starting from exactly where I am right now.

You don't need to have it all figured out. You don't need to be completely healed. You don't need guarantees. You just need to be willing to take the next right step, then the one after that.

Whether your comeback is about love, career, health, or dreams you thought you'd lost, remember: you're not the same person who faced that setback. You're stronger, wiser, and more equipped to handle whatever comes next.

The art of the comeback isn't about perfection—it's about persistence, wisdom, and the revolutionary act of believing you deserve another chance at happiness.

Sometimes the most beautiful chapters of our lives begin with the words "I decided to try again."

What's your comeback story going to be?

Blurb

When old flames reignite, sparks fly.

Volunteer firefighter Shawn Miller thought he had his life figured out in small-town Elken Grove. His print shop pays the bills while his real passion—fighting fires—keeps him connected to the community he loves.

Then his new Captain walks through the station doors: Rebecca "Becks" Schwartz, the woman who walked out of his life nine years ago. Now she's his superior officer, and someone in the department is determined to drive her away—or worse.

As danger closes in, Shawn must balance protecting Becks with respecting her authority. But when sparks fly hotter than ever between them, he realizes some flames aren't meant to be extinguished—they're meant to be stoked.

Get REKINDLED FLAME today and feel the heat of this slow-burn second chance romance!

Book Links

Universal Link: https://books2read.com/rekindled-flame

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FD87RMRW

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/236532005-rekindled-flame

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/rekindled-flame-a-second-chance-firefighter-romance-burning-hearts-book-1-by-ella-braeme

Website: https://ellabraeme.com/2025/08/17/rekindled-flame-a-second-chance-firefighter-romance/

Book Details

Book 1 in the Burning Hearts series: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FD87RMRV

Publication Date: September 3, 2025

37,000 words / 137 pages

Available in Kindle Unlimited and as paperback

Perfect for fans of Susan Stoker and Zoe York.

Excerpt

Later, she couldn’t say who moved first. Only that somehow the space between them vanished, and his lips were on hers, or hers on his—a kiss born of shared danger, old memories, and new respect. His hands found her waist, steadying her as she leaned into him, allowing herself this one moment of abandon.

It was both familiar and entirely new. The Shawn she’d kissed nine years ago had been a young man, passionate but untested. This Shawn kissed her with a quiet assurance, a depth of emotion that made her knees weaken.

When they finally broke apart, both breathing heavily, reality came crashing back. She was his captain. Someone was targeting her. And their past remained largely unresolved.

“I shouldn’t have—” he started.

“We can’t—” she said simultaneously.

They stared at each other, mutual regret and longing creating an almost unbearable tension.

“This complicates things,” she whispered.

“It was already complicated,” he replied, running a hand through his hair in that familiar gesture she remembered from years ago.

Becks stepped back, creating necessary distance. “Someone sabotaged my turnouts, Shawn. That tear in my jacket—if we’d been called to a fire instead of an accident...”

“I know.” His expression darkened. “We’ll figure out who’s behind this.”

“And this—” she gestured between them, “—whatever this is, it has to wait.”

He nodded, though the reluctance was clear in his eyes. “I’ll follow you home, make sure you get there safely. After that... professional distance.”

“Professional distance,” she echoed, though the lingering taste of him made a mockery of the words.

As she drove home with Shawn’s truck visible in her rearview mirror, Becks touched her lips, still sensitive from his kiss. Whatever was developing between them would have to be shelved until the threat was neutralized and they’d properly addressed their complicated past.

She’d broken her cardinal rule tonight. The one she’d established after Charlotte: never let personal feelings cloud professional judgment. Never give anyone ammunition to suggest you got where you are through anything but merit. And never, ever, let a man make you feel like you need saving. Yet here she was, lips still tingling from kissing her volunteer firefighter, grateful for his protective presence behind her. Everything she’d sworn she’d never do again.

About the Author

Ella Braeme writes steamy small-town romance featuring protective heroes and strong heroines who find love in the mountains of Georgia. When she's not crafting stories about couples falling headlong into danger and love, she's in her garden with her hole-digging supervisor dog. Her quick, satisfying reads are perfect for readers who love their romance with heat, heart, and happily-ever-after.

Content Warnings

I believe every reader deserves to make informed choices about the books they read. While my stories always end with happily-ever-afters and are mostly comfort reads, some contain elements that may be difficult for certain readers. If any of these subjects bother you, I kindly ask you to pick another book.

This book contains scenes involving attempted murder, workplace sabotage, a vehicle accident with injury, temporary medical paralysis, and workplace discrimination. All scenes resolve positively with full recovery and justice served.

Connect with Ella

Instagram: https://instagram.com/ellawritesromance

Facebook Page: https://facebook.com/ellawritesromance

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22846173.Ella_Braeme

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ella-braeme

Sign-up to her emails and get a free novella https://ellabraeme.com/newsletter-signup.htm

Author Website: https://ellabraeme.com

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Ella-Braeme/author/B0BKL79CSM

Also by Ella Braeme

Elken Grove Mountain Men series: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DPL86ZSM/

Married in Windfall series: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CBS76NN4

ARC reader signup

https://forms.gle/TLexgKCHLXFyVoo8A

 

Rendezvous in Chinatown – #EroticRomance #Multicultural #MFRWHooks

Welcome to this week’s MFRW Book Hooks blog hop! After featuring relatively recent books over the past few weeks, I thought I’d go back to my very first novel, Raw Silk. Of course, this is not the original 1999 version; the book is now in its fifth (and I presume last) edition. I have added several chapters. I’ve also sharpened the romance focus. Still, be warned: although it concludes with commitment, the story features relationships with multiple partners.

Blurb

In a foreign land, a woman discovers exotic new realms of the senses.

“You were born to this. You may not understand, yet. You may not believe. But I will teach you.”

When software engineer Kate O’Neill leaves her lover David to take a job in Thailand, she embarks on a sensual journey that will change her forever.

In the glittering City of Angels, Kate becomes sexually involved with two very different men—a handsome and debauched member of the Thai aristocracy, and the charismatic, dominant proprietor of a sex bar. With Anand Rajchitraprasong, she discovers her own almost unlimited capacity for erotic pleasure. Meanwhile, Gregory Marshall shows her what she has hidden from herself: a deep desire to submit, to surrender herself body and soul to someone with the power and compassion to master her.

Each lascivious adventure binds her more closely to her lovers. Then David comes to Bangkok, and Kate realizes that she must choose one of the three men who all desire her.

The Hook

Kate took the bus to the restaurant. Though the place was not far from DigiThai, no more than two or three miles, it was a slow trip. The vehicle oozed through the heavy traffic. Pedestrians, tuk tuks and dare-devil motorcyclists wove their way through the snarl of cars and trucks.

She didn’t mind the pace. The bus was air-conditioned. She sat next to a window where she could watch the passing sights.

The Chinese area of Bangkok was one of the oldest parts of the city. Tucked into a bend of the Chao Phraya, it was a warren of narrow streets, flanked by crumbling three-story shop houses. Yaowarat, the main thoroughfare, was barely wide enough for two cars to pass. The traffic crept sluggishly along its length, but the sidewalks bustled with commerce.

The street was lined on both sides with jewelry stores, their bright red signs blazoned with gold lettering in English, Thai and Chinese characters. Some were closed in, protected from the heat and the dust of the road, but many had open fronts stretching a quarter of a block or more. Inside, the walls, too, were crimson. Long counters and glass cases displayed glittering contents. Customers sat on stools at the counters, bending over the glass or haggling with the proprietors.

In front of the gold shops, vendors hawked everything from fresh vegetables to movie posters. As Kate got off the bus, she took a deep breath. The air smelled different here. She caught spicy hints of anise and ginger, mixed with the normal exhaust fumes. She passed a traditional medicine shop, its murky interior lined with wooden drawers holding mysterious roots and herbs. A pale ginseng root floated in a glass bottle, its hairy extremities vaguely suggesting a human figure. The wizened, bespectacled shop owner behind the counter looked up as she paused. Flustered, she hurried on.

At the address Anand had given her, she found a narrow door framed in Chinese script. There was no English sign. The door was open, and led, she saw, to a steep, carpeted stairway. The building smelled of age, but there were also some rich food odors that she could not identify.

At the top of the stairs, she found a small antechamber made even smaller by the huge porcelain jars standing on either side of a curtained arch. She was met by an elderly Chinese man in a rusty black suit.

“Miss Katherine?” he asked, his accent making it difficult for Kate to understand him. She nodded. “Please come with me.”

He held the curtains aside for her. They entered a cavernous room, two stories high. Fans turned lazily above them, hanging from the embossed tin ceiling. Round tables were scattered around the room, but only one or two of them were occupied. None of the diners was Anand.

“This way,” said her guide, gesturing toward the back of the room. Here there were wood-paneled walls that reached halfway to the ceiling. As they came closer, she saw that these were enclosed booths made of teak or mahogany, arranged around a central corridor. Floor-length drapes of heavy brocade covered the entrances, ensuring the privacy of the occupants. Halfway down the corridor, they stopped, and the Chinese man knocked on the door post.

Anand’s voice was muffled by the curtains. “Come in,” he said, sweeping the draperies aside. “Come in, Katherine.”

The interior of the booth was furnished with brocade-cushioned benches and a table covered in white linen. It was surprisingly spacious. There was no sense of being confined. The top was open, one of the fans rotating slowly above their heads.

Anand closed the curtains and took her hands. “Thank you for coming. Please, make yourself comfortable.” She seated herself on the bench. He smiled at her delightedly. “Well? What do you think?”

She looked around her. “Interesting,” she said. “I’ve certainly never seen anything like it.”

“The Chinese conduct all important business over food,” her companion explained. “And, sometimes, discretion is important. The Three Moons restaurant has seen five generations of negotiations, deals, intrigues and coups. Not to mention illicit meetings and lovers’ rendezvous.”

Kate just smiled at his enthusiasm.

“In addition,” he continued, pouring them some tea, “the food is exceptional. I took the liberty of ordering Peking duck for us. They need twelve hours’ advance notice.”

She laughed. “You are unbelievable. It seems that all you think about is food and sex.”

“Not so,” Anand protested in mock seriousness. “I will admit those are among my primary occupations, but I am also interested in business. You have not told me yet whether you will take the position I offered you.”

“After Saturday, I will let you know. After Saturday, everything may change.”

“I know,” said Anand softly. “Still, I am looking forward to it.”

 

Find the buy links at https://www.lisabetsarai.com/rawsilkbook.html

Be sure to visit the other authors participating in today’s Book Hooks!

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Heroes, Villains, and the Stories We Tell Ourselves -- #PoliticalThriller #HistoricalFiction #Giveaway

By Babujee (Guest Blogger)

If one does a Shakespearean character analysis of the protagonist of my novel, Crimson Mirage, and looks for the ‘seed’ of his destruction, it was hero worship and role models. Manush wanted to follow the footsteps of his idols and got it horribly wrong. How can one go astray following the role models?

Let’s talk about heroes. We grow up surrounded by them—those larger-than-life figures who inspire us with their bravery, truthfulness, or incredible moral compass. As kids, we’re fed stories about these shining beacons of humanity, and we’re told to aspire to be just like them. But let’s dig a little deeper—how does this “hero culture” play out?

Take George Washington and the famous cherry tree story. You know, the one where little George confesses, “I cannot tell a lie,” after chopping down a tree? It’s a great tale, but spoiler alert: it probably never happened. The point wasn’t historical accuracy; it was about presenting truthfulness as an American ideal. The irony, of course, is that plenty of people in real life do lie. Still, the story stuck because it symbolized what Americans hoped to be.

And it’s not just the U.S. Ancient Rome had its own hero figures, like Cincinnatus, the farmer who reluctantly saved the Republic and then went back to his plow. Noble, right? But in reality, Rome was famous for politics, power struggles, and shameless self-promotion. Cultures create these stories not just to make us better people, but to justify bigger things—wars, colonization, or even just the way things are. Heroes and villains, the flip side of the heroes, become tools to explain why one country gets to invade another or why one group claims superiority.

Take the British Empire, for example. To justify looting India (then called Bharat), they dehumanized the locals, calling them “savages” or “uncivilized.” That narrative made it easier to plunder resources and call it progress. It’s an uncomfortable truth, but history is filled with examples like this.

What’s fascinating is how heroes and villains can flip depending on the perspective. George Washington, beloved American hero, was seen as a treasonous troublemaker by Britain’s King George III. It’s all about where you’re standing. Sometimes, though, the whole hero-villain thing is completely arbitrary. Remember Sophocles’ drama Antigone? The king, Kreon, declares one brother, Eteocles, a hero and the other, Polynices, a traitor. Antigone begs to give Polynices a proper burial, but Kreon refuses, only to let slip a secret: the brothers’ mangled bodies were so indistinguishable that they just divided the remains and gave one portion a hero’s funeral and left the rest to rot outside the city. Kreon himself didn’t know which body was honored or condemned. All he needed was a hero and a villain.

So, how does this play out in our lives? As children, we idolize these heroic figures, imagining ourselves brave, truthful, and noble. But as we grow up, life throws reality at us—money, power, and comfort often take precedence over ideals. If someone clings to their childhood hero worship and refuses to compromise with the real world, like our protagonist Manush, they might feel alienated. Worse, they might turn extreme in their beliefs, unwilling to let go of the purity they see in their role models.

When analyzed, many of the heroes we idolize didn’t achieve their glory through gentle means. They were violent, fought battles, spilled blood, and outmaneuvered their rivals. Could celebrating these figures plant the seeds of aggression or extremism in some? Is the relentless pursuit of “heroic” ideals driving people to unhealthy extremes?

 

It’s worth asking whether this hero-villain obsession is healthy. Sure, it gives us figures to look up to, but it also glosses over the complexity of real life. People aren’t just heroes or villains—they’re a messy mix of good and bad, driven by circumstance and opportunity. Most of the Greek “heroes” were not good or congenial persons; you won’t invite them for a cup of coffee!.

Just condemning evil acts as something “other people” do lets us off the hook too easily. It’s more uncomfortable, but more honest, to admit that anyone—even you or me could be capable of terrible things under the right (or wrong) circumstances. The scary part isn’t just the existence of evil—it’s realizing that it could just as easily be us.

Maybe it’s time to rethink the stories we tell about heroes and villains. They shape how we see the world, ourselves, and each other. Maybe the real heroism is recognizing our flaws and striving to be better, not for glory or applause, but simply because it’s the right thing to do.

Blurb

Naïve. Passionate. Dangerous.

Manush is all of these—and more. Caught between the heat of first love and the fire of revolution, he confuses desire with destiny and activism with annihilation. What begins with tender hope ends in blood-soaked betrayal.

Set against the turbulent backdrop of Calcutta’s Naxalite uprising, this haunting debut novel unravels the journey of a boy-turned-assassin—his convictions twisted, his soul scarred, his story unforgettable.

The author grew up in the heart of this upheaval, witnessing firsthand how political fervor tore through families and futures. Crimson Mirage is not just fiction—it’s a reckoning. A meditation on blind love, brutal reprisals, and the elusive promise of freedom.

Excerpt

WASH YOUR HANDS!” the ice-cold voice cut through the stillness of the crisp mountain air and broke through his zombie state.

Manush didn’t remember how long he had been sitting on the rock!

The sun had slid slowly, silently below the horizon of the San Bernardino Mountains. The wind was freshening. The clouds riding the salty air of the Pacific Ocean were changing shade, from angry yellow to flaming crimson, in the harsh, upward glare of a late sunset hour. Venus was still the brightest speck in the sky in the midst of the orange-gold scatter of softly gathering twilight.

From not too far off, a mountain goat with cloven hooves—browsing brush and low-growing shrubs—sidled up to him, fixing its malevolent, yellow gaze on him. Far overhead, a homebound chickadee went ‘chickadee-dee-dee’ as it traced its solitary path eastwards.

To the northwest, the cliffs fell sheer to the ravine below, their surface unbroken. The shadows were lengthening across the vast valley lying snugly among the hills. And now, there were blotches of darkness slowly eating away the green. But the full umbra of the sun’s retirement was yet to descend upon the sprawling, rugged landscape.

“Wash your hands!” the voice was insistent in its urgency.

Manush sat upright with a start. He convulsed—first in astonishment, then with fear—as he looked incredulously at Jeevan.

Jeevan was smiling… his usual shy, reassured smile. He had not aged at all! His thick black hair swept back from his forehead, the creaseless, unblemished young skin on his face a contrast to the light growth of hair on his chin. Jeevan looked just like the post-mortem photograph the police had shown him.

About the Author

The author is a professional who grew up in Kolkata during the turbulent times that serve as the backdrop of this novel. He has written short stories and articles. This is his debut novel. More of his writing at https://babujee.substack.com/archive

Website: https://mailchi.mp/996745dceee3/crimson-mirage

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Crimson-Mirage-Red-Road-Romance-ebook/dp/B0FNKXKRFD/ref=sr_1_1

Babujee will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Charity Sunday Times Two: The Mountain Lion Foundation - #wildlife #ecology #CharitySunday

Today is Charity Sunday. As it happens it is also the 31^st of the month, which is my allocated day over at the Sweet 'n Sexy Divas blog. This gives me the opportunity to publish two Charity Sunday posts. Both of them shine the spotlight on organizations working to protect our environment and the earth.

Here at Beyond Romance, I am focusing on The Mountain Lion Foundation. This non-profit, located in California, is dedicated to research, advocacy and education to help save North America’s critically endangered big cats. MLF works with communities to reduce conflicts between people and lions; with scientists to study the behavior and ecological dynamics of the species; with legislators to craft laws and regulations that protect mountain lions, their habitat, and their human neighbors.

Of course, anyone who has hung around my blog for any length of time knows I am a huge ailurophile. I love felines, large and small. But that’s not the most important reason to donate to MLF. Mountain lions are apex predators who play a huge role in maintaining the health and integrity of ecological systems in which they live. Furthermore, recent policies introduced by the Trump administration have greatly increased the risks for this already threatened species.

Hence, I will donate $2 to MLF for each comment I receive on this post, between now and the next Charity Sunday.

I don’t have a story about big cats. However, my Elemental Passions series features characters who have the power to control different forces in nature. So here’s a bit from Book 1, Hot Spell.

Excerpt

She reached the trailhead about five. Sunlight slanted between the towering trees like gold bars. She locked her car, then shouldered her pack and set out at a brisk pace for the campsite, about three miles up the path. She’d camped in these woods before, when she’d been in college. It seemed like a hundred years ago.

Alice and Jill had been appalled when she’d told them her plans. “Alone? In the middle of the wilderness?” Jill’s perfectly shaped eyebrows had knit in a frown. “What if something happens?”

“What could happen?” she’d laughed, guessing that neither of her friends had ever taken a hike or slept under the star—or would ever consider doing so.

“Wild animals! Bears. Mountain lions. Or you might fall, break a leg and be stranded. You could starve to death.”

“And what about murderers or rapists?” Alice had rapped her fingernails against her desk. Her turquoise enamel matched her outfit. “You never know who you’ll meet out there in the woods.”

“I’ll have my phone,” she’d reassured them, although she’d known there’d likely be no signal. “Animals are shy. They won’t bother me if I don’t bother them. And I took a self-defense course last year. Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. Anyway, you’ll know where I am. If I’m not back on Tuesday, send out the National Guard.”

She strode along the trail, swinging her arms and filling her lungs with the fragrant mountain air. Sweat pooled in her armpits and under her breasts. The weather was still unseasonably warm, but a fresh breeze played amongst the trees, hinting at the coolness to come wherever it touched her damp skin. As dusk shrouded the forest, her senses grew keener. An owl perched on an overhanging branch—she caught the yellow glint of its eyes. Some furred creature skittered through the underbrush and the mournful call of a loon reached her from the direction of Crystal Lake, miles away. A spicy hint of crushed fennel tickled her nose, triggering a pang of hunger. Sylvie smiled, remembering the chunks of salmon marinating in a Ziplock bag in her backpack. She’d brought a half bottle of wine, too, for her first dinner in the wild. Somehow, she’d felt like celebrating.

Full night had fallen by the time she reached the campsite, perched on a ridge above the steep banks of Sandman Creek. As she piled fallen branches inside the ring of blackened stones and kindled them into a merry blaze, she could hear the stream singing to itself…or maybe welcoming her back where she belonged.

Her meal was every bit as tasty and satisfying as she’d anticipated. Afterwards, she sat for what seemed like hours, her back against the rough bark of a huge spruce, tasting the residual sweetness of her wine, watching the fire burn down to a clutch of glowing embers. The cinders shone from within like some dragon’s precious cache—ruby, gold, an occasional flash of emerald. The play of light fascinated her.

Her muscles ached from the strenuous hike. Her hair was in knots and a sticky film of perspiration coated her skin. None of that mattered. Peace enfolded her, along with a profound sense of well-being. The breeze whispered to her. The creek babbled and laughed.

Water. A bath. Relaxed, lazy and sated though she was, the notion still held an irresistible appeal. Sylvie checked the remains of the fire to assure herself that there was no chance it would escape the rocks encircling it. Then she dug a towel out of her pack and headed down the forested slope to the creek.

The gurgle of water tumbling over stone grew louder as she approached. The very sound was refreshing. A few feet from the edge, she stripped off her clothes, draping them and her towel over a convenient boulder. She was about to step out of the woods when an unexpected movement caught her eye.

There was something splashing in the creek a bit downstream from where she stood—something…or someone. Sylvie shrank back into the shadow of the trees.

Directly opposite her, the stream rushed over river-polished rocks, flecked with white froth. To her right, though, it widened into a calm pool, black as the sky above. The unexpected noise came from there.

She peered into the night. All she could see at first was a round, furry mass that seemed to float upon the surface. Ripples stirred as a figure rose from the water. At the same time, the half moon climbed above the crest of the trees. Its pale rays revealed the form of a naked man.

Find the buy links for Hot Spell at https://www.lisabetsarai.com/hotspellbook.html

Meanwhile, I hope you’ll leave a comment. Every message from you means two dollars devoted to saving North America’s great cats.

Be sure to visit the other bloggers participating in today’s Charity Sunday. In particular, go leave a comment on my other post at Sweet n’ Sexy Divas. I’m featuring a different charity and have a different excerpt!

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